Improvement in ship-building



datiert gioire am ma.

Letters Patent No. 93,920,vdatedAugust 17, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHIP-BUILDING.

The Schedule refen'ed to :in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it mag/.concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. STODDARD, of Baltimore, in the State-of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Ship-Building; and that the following is a suiiiciently full and exact description thereof, lto enable one skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to carry it into effect, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to animproved construction of together, and a series ofplanking for the attachmentof the copper sheathing, secured to the ceiling with out through-bolts, and separatedtherefrom by a layer of tarred canvas, or its equivalent, thus producing perfectly solid sides, not liable to decay by reason of such solidity, absolutely impervious to water, and comparatively stronger Athan the hollow sides commonly employed, adapting, further, the locality of any leak caused by coutusion to be immediately detected, and its stoppage consequently facilitated, and also to permit of bulkheading, which has heretofore been practically impossible in wooden vessels. In the drawings- Figure l represents a sectional side "elevation of a vessel, constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2, a transverse section in the plane indicated by the line :c x, g. 1.

Figure 3, a plan View of the Astern-portion of the frame.

Similar letters of referenceindicate like parts in the several figures.

C C represent vertical hoops', of iron or other suitable metal, secured between the keel A and keelson B, arranged at suitable distances apart, and encircling glie ovessel transversely, as shown most clearly in I I represent horizontal metallic hoops encircling the vessel longitudinally, as represented,'and crossing the transverse hoops O at about right angles, being fastened atthe respectiveends of the vessel to the stem and sternposts l P', and also bolted, if preferred or deemed necessary, to said transverse hoops C.

\Vhen more than one of the longitudinal hoops I' are employed, as represented, the lower are preferably arranged inside of the transverse hoops O, to facilitate the attachment of the ceiling, and the upper one on the outside, to accommodate the stanchions, as shown.

I I represent struts or stays attached to the longitudinal. hoops I, for the support of the transverse hoops C, between which they are arranged.

I I" represent short longitudinal metal bars, corresponding with' I, employed at the stern of the hull, as shown.

A,Any necessary number of the hoops C I may be employed, and they may be distributed in any suitable manner, so as best to support the hull.

The keel and keelson A B, and stem and sternposts I P', having been'first erected, the transverse hoops G are mounted, and the longitudinal hoops I then applied, when the frame-work or skeleton is complete, being entirely of iron, except the four 'firstnamed parts, which are preferably of wood.

K K represent the main-deck timbers, which are grooved for the reception of the cross-bars or portions C of the hoops C, and are of sufficiently greater width than said hoops to receive the spikes for fastening the deck K" on the sides of said hoops; this por tion of said hoops thus serving to support the deck as 'w'ellas laterally support the hull.

C' C represent knees attached to the inner sides of the hoops G to support the lower-deck timbers K of a double-deckedfvessel.

I now proceed to describe the covering or sheathing of 'th'e vessel.

This is done by rst putting on a course, D, of ceil- I ing, composed of wooden planks, on the inside of the ribs, together witha corresponding course, E, on the outside, and bolt'mg them fast' by the boltsAH, as

shown in fig. 2, thc respective series being so arranged" as to break joints.

This double ceiling is then calked from both inside and outside, the respective series forming abutments for the seamsiof the other, and enabling the calking to be very perfectly and readily performed.

Having done this, the outside of the hull is sheathed with canvas, ducking, or other suitable material, F, tarred or soaked in some preparation adapted to preserve the wood and ,render it impervious to water, which covers the headsA of the bolts H employed to unite the two series of ceiling, and protects them from moisture, and consequent rust, and also serves to prevent the absorption and retention of moisture by the wood.

After this, the wooden planking G is put 'on with treenails or composition-fastenings, or both, and the copper (not shown) nailed thereto.

The inside ceiling D is gained, to receive the transverse hoops C, so as to be flush with their outer sides, andthus' present a smooth surface for the reception of the outsidev ceiling E, on which the planking G being secured, as shown and described, perfectly solid sides are produced.

The chemically-prepared canvas, or its equivalent, F, placed between the planking and ceiling, prevents any liability of such solid 4sides to `rot, which might otherwise render them objectionable.

and planking, and from thence into the bold, asin other wooden vessels.

It also thus greatly facilitates the stoppage of leaks.

It further, in connection with the lateral support of the bull, aorded by the transverse hoops, adapts the vesselto be ei-ctively bulkheaded,which has heretofore been entirely impracticaole in wooden vessels.

The inner ceiling, instead of abutting against the stemand stem-posts P P', as-is usually the case, extends entirely around, as indicated in lig. 1, and being scarfed together, forms a complete breasthook at each end of the vessel. v

The two series of ceiling breaking joint, the ealking is eiiectuallyprevented from going through, and is thus enabled to be more perfectly packed y,and more securely held in the seam-s than it could otherwise be- The doublefcalked ceiling renders th'e vessel safe against leakage, even on theplanking being broken off,

The planking forms an attachment for the copper, serving tb isolate it from the iron frame and the bolts required to connect the two series of ceiling, and thus eii'ectually preventing any galvauic-connection between them.

Either canvas, ducking, paper, or other suitable material, may form the base of thelayer F.

'lh'e metallic hoops entirely surrounding the vessel cacao A vessel constructed according to my improvements quire any gallows, hog-chains, or` other tophamper.

Itis, further, not liable to be cut through by ice, owing toits metallic ame, and the calked ceiling `inside of such frame prevents leakage 'being caused by any incision which could be thu's made.

It is, further, owing to its capability of being coppered, free from the objections to iron hulls, which are liable to foul and-become leaky. v

It will, further, in consequence of' its non-liability to the injuries referred to, require less repairs, and will last longer than the vessels now being built-or those built'onany-of the oldplaus,w l1ich are all more or less liable to such injuries' and objections.

My improved mode of building is admirably adapted for light-boats, Heating-docks, stages, 1ighters, canalboats, barges, scows, rams, floating batteries, and every description offloating craft.

Having thus described'my invention, f

. -I claim, and-desire to secure by Letters Patentl.- The combination of thetransverse `and longitudinal `metal bars C I, extending entirely around the vessel at about right angles to each other, withinncr and outer ceiling D E, arranged respectively inside and outside thereof, -and bolted together, substantially as v Set forth.

'2. The combination of the inner and outer ceiling D E, breaking joints, and bolted together as described, with the planking G, secured to the outer ceiling E, without through-bolts, and with tarred canvas or other suitable material impervious to jwater, F, interposed between the planking and ceiling, all substantially as and for the objects stated.

J. B. STODDARD.

Witnesses HENRY -GAsHMYEIn XVM. H. RICHARDSON'. 

